


Red strings

by tenmillionotters



Series: Untold Tales of Tsushima [2]
Category: Ghost of Tsushima (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood, Childhood Friends, Comfort, Fluff, Found Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:49:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26239624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenmillionotters/pseuds/tenmillionotters
Summary: It was exciting. What if he’d find a kami? If he was even luckier it was an oni, he’d slay the beast and win the favour of the noble families.Sometimes he stopped in his eager tracks and closed his eyes to listen. He was getting close to the sound, was that a human crying…?
Series: Untold Tales of Tsushima [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905826
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Red strings

**Author's Note:**

> Okuni belongs to @/lyrical_mimi

It was a tradition. A ritual. 

He patrolled the forests around Omi village with a large branch in his hand. The children of the nobles had wooden swords to train with, he wasn’t that fortunate. 

One day he himself would be a samurai. He would proudly wield an artfully forged katana. One day… 

A soft sobbing sound alerted him. That was a first. He began searching for the source of the noise, maybe it was an injured fox.

Without much regard for his precious weapon, he tossed the branch aside and began running towards the noise. It was exciting. What if he’d find a kami? If he was even luckier it was an oni, he’d slay the beast and win the favour of the noble families. 

Sometimes he stopped in his eager tracks and closed his eyes to listen. He was getting close to the sound, was that a human crying…? Maybe, but oni and yokai could be deceiving. Oh no, he just remembered that he got rid of his weapon. 

He hastily looked for a new one and continued on his journey, already dreaming of the banquet they would hold in his honour once he slayed the beast or saved the kami. 

“Mama…” 

He knew that voice. Ryuzo began pushing branches aside and found a small bundle sitting in a meadow, crying her little heart and eyes out. 

“Miko?” 

The crying instantly stopped, little eyes widened at the sight of him, “Nii-chan, I got lost.” 

His heart nearly jumped into his throat when she called him that. He didn’t have siblings, his mother died before she could have another child. The man who he should call father was barely at home, he worked in the city to provide the little food they got in their stomachs. 

… and she was a noble. The daughter of a samurai. 

“What’s wrong, Miko?” 

“My bell broke.” 

She lifted her left arm to show him a red silk band that was tied to her wrist. The little bell attached to it was no longer ringing, “I got lost and then I noticed it’s broken. I thought that nobody would find me.” 

Right, she didn’t know the woods around Omi as well as he and Jin did. Jin wasn’t in the village this afternoon, so he wasn’t surprised that she got lost on her own. 

“The little stone in your bell fell out,” however she managed to accomplish that, “Let me fix it.” 

She was only 5 years old, of course she had no idea how to fix something as delicate as a little bell. He was already 9, practically an adult. Of course he knew how to repair it. 

Miko’s large round eyes watched him attentively, thank goodness she had stopped crying. He couldn’t stand seeing her so upset. 

The little bell always altered everyone to where Miko was, she always got in trouble. She would chase after butterflies and foxes, but someone always found her. This time it was him. 

“Here you go, good as new,” he gently attached the band to her hand. Miko began shaking her arm in excitement. 

“It works! Thank you, nii-chan!” 

If there was one thing she was good at it was jumping. He struggled holding her up, she kissed his cheeks over and over, he wanted to tell her off but then he noticed that she was crying again. 

“I was so scared, usually papa would find me. I never needed a bell before, but he’s not here anymore. What if you wouldn’t have been there to find me?” 

“Don’t say that. I’ll always be there when you need me,” and it wouldn’t be an empty promise. He wasn’t like his father. If someone relied on him he wouldn’t let them down. Just because he wasn’t a samurai didn’t mean he didn’t have honour. 

“Let’s go home,” which meant he would carry her all the way, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she was okay. 

The sun began to set, he felt her body grow heavier as she fell asleep. All the lights were burning in her family’s estate, the servants were frantically searching for the little lady. Lady Okuni helped them. 

“There she is!” 

They rushed to Ryuzo and Miko, who was awoken by the commotion. 

“Mama!” 

She started crying instantly as her mother lifted her into her arms. The servants rushed to her side, all of the sudden he felt so small. He wasn’t important right now. But all that mattered was that she was home now. 

It was time for him to go home too. 

“Ryuzo, wait.” 

He froze in place when he heard Lady Okuni address him. Would she scold him? 

“Come inside, you’re probably hungry too.” 

Of course he was. When wasn’t he? He hadn’t seen his father in weeks, maybe he had already died or taken off without him. 

The servants had taken Miko away with them to wash and dress her, he didn’t want the treatment but he washed up before he sat down at the richly set table. It wasn’t the feast he had imagined before, but it was better than that. It felt like _home_. 

Once Miko joined them, he began to eat. He couldn’t help but smile, the rice was soft, warm, white. It tasted so good. The mirin made it a little sweet. Miso soup was filling and balanced out the sweetness of the rice. 

He ate a lot of fish, but this fish was different. It was fatter. Everything tasted so different. 

He ate without any shame, Lady Okuni had told him many times not to hold back when he ate with them. Even Miko seemed to be hungry today. 

“Ryuzo fixed my bell, it broke.” 

“He did? Thank you, Ryuzo.” 

The little boy began to blush and only nodded quietly. It was so different to imagine someone’s praise and actually receiving it. Even the sweetest daydream couldn’t capture the comfort that genuine recognition gave him.

Once they were done eating the main course, Lady Okuni carefully cut fruit for the children and watched them eat. To his surprise, Ryuzo felt her hand stroke his hair. 

“You’re a good boy, Ryuzo.” 

Maybe he was? He blushed, not knowing how to respond. “Thank you, Lady Okuni.” 

She simply smiled and watched the children nibble on their fruit. Miko was quiet, he wasn’t used to seeing her like that. 

It was probably the shock, he didn’t know how long she had been lost in the woods. His heart began to sink again. Now wasn’t the time to lounge around in their home. 

“Thank you for the meal, but I should really go home now.” Not that anyone was waiting for him at home. 

Okuni simply looked out of the window for a while. The moon was shining bright that night, “It’s going to be cold.” He was more than aware of that. He hated nights like that, they made it hard to sleep. 

“Why don’t you stay here? I don’t want you to walk home through the cold.” 

“Yes please stay, nii-chan.” 

There was less vigor in Miko’s voice, but still, how could he say no? 

“Thank you.” 

He would never get used to the servants treating him like a noble, washing and fixing him up just to go to bed. But it was nice. He felt weird lying on clean linen for rest. 

A small oven kept them warm, but he still didn’t feel like sleeping. Miko had curled up next to him, she slept like a little fox. He smiled to himself, watching her chest rise and fall. 

Maybe it wasn’t so bad, being a big brother. He couldn’t make any big promises, but he knew for sure that he always wanted to protect her.


End file.
